Origins & Early Life

Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold (25 June 1886 – 15 January 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), commanding general of the United States Army Air Forces, the only United States Air Force general to hold five-star rank, and the only officer to hold a five-star rank in two different U.S. military services. Arnold was also the founder of Project RAND, which evolved into one of the world's largest non-profit global policy think tanks, the RAND Corporation, and was one of the founders of Pan American World Airways.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Instructed in flying by the Wright Brothers, Arnold was one of the first military pilots worldwide, and one of the first three rated pilots in the history of the United States Air Force. He overcame a fear of flying that resulted from his experiences with early flight, supervised the expansion of the Air Service during World War I, and became a protégé of then Brigadier General (later Colonel) Billy Mitchell. Arnold rose to command the Army Air Forces immediately prior to the American entry into World War II and directed its hundred-fold...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alfonso XIII — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Clarence Birdseye — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): Founder of the modern frozen food industry through rapid-freezing technology.
• David Ben-Gurion — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): Primary national founder and first Prime Minister of the State of Israel.
• Alan Silvestri — Contemporary (Born in 1950) (1950): Award-winning composer renowned for epic film scores, especially for blockbuster franchises.
• Arthur D. Levinson — Contemporary (Born in 1950) (1950): Prominent American businessman, former CEO of Genentech, and board member for Apple Inc.
• Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay — Contemporary (Died in 1950) (1950): Pioneering Bengali novelist celebrated for nature and rural life depictions.
• Alexei Abrikosov (physicist) — Shared historical date (06-25 · Born) (1928): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for low-temperature condensed matter physics.
• Antoni Gaudí — Shared historical date (06-25 · Born) (1852): Master exponent of Catalan Modernisme, known for nature-inspired architecture.
• Alexander Gustafsson — Shared historical date (01-15 · Born) (1987): Swedish mixed martial artist known for his elite Light Heavyweight contender status in the UFC.
• Algernon Sidney — Shared historical date (01-15 · Born) (1623): English republican theorist and politician whose works shaped Western thought.
• 1886 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1886
• June 25 (06-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 25
• 1950 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1950
• January 15 (01-15) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 15